


Stories

by OceanShay



Category: MapleStory
Genre: Gen, hoyoung interacting with children? yeah thats all this is, just pure fluff right here, theres like no hoyoung content and by god i am going to change that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:40:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25611466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OceanShay/pseuds/OceanShay
Summary: Hoyoung was not used to being around children, but when they flock to him when he’s coming back from a job, he doesn’t really have a choice but to go along with their shenanigans.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Stories

“Ugh, I’m so tired of these small time jobs Taotie,” Hoyoung groaned while putting his hands behind his head. “I wish we could just get to the big monsters already.” 

“Well do you know where any of them are?” Taotie asked, popping up beside Hoyoung. 

Hoyoung sighed. “No.” 

“Then you gotta wait. I didn’t exactly collect all of them overnight.” 

“Yeah yeah, I know. I have to be patient or whatever.” 

Hoyoung closed his eyes for a moment as he let his feet carry him back to the Bureau. He was about to open his eyes again and walk inside when he bumped into… something small. 

“Ouch! Watch where you’re going,” he said. 

Then he realized it was a kid. 

“Oh no. Hey kid, I’m sorry. I should’ve been watching where  _ I _ was going.” 

The kid rubbed their forehead and looked up at Hoyoung. 

“Hmm…” The kid said, looking like they were thinking something over. “You work there right?” They pointed at the Bureau. 

“Yeah, why?” 

“If you tell me a cool story, I’ll forgive you.” 

Hoyoung was a little surprised at this. Were kids normally like this, or was Cheong-woon just that boring that kids had to go asking strangers for stories? Given how his jobs had been, he assumed the latter. 

“Okay, I guess I can do that for you.” Hoyoung responded and squatted down to the kid’s height. 

\--- 

“I didn’t think it would take you that long to find a watch,” Farasi said as Hoyoung handed her the item in question. 

“Yeah well, I ran into a kid just outside the Bureau and they made me tell them a story if I wanted forgiveness. And you know how boring the jobs you give me are, so I had to make one up.” 

“What did you tell them?” 

“Something about the rolling gourds being alive like us and plotting to run over anyone who walked in their fields.” 

Farasi actually let out a laugh at that. 

“Did it work?” 

“Yeah, and I think I scared them from walking out there for a while. Which is fine by me. Less kids getting trapped by gourds, the better.” 

“You haven’t had to save any kids from gourds.” 

“ _ Yet. _ ” 

“Yet.” 

\--- 

It was a few days later when Hoyoung heard someone calling his name as he walked back into town. There was something familiar about it but he couldn’t place it until he was almost tackled to the ground by a kid. 

After regaining his bearings, Hoyoung looked at the kid and saw a few more behind them, all with eager grins on their faces. 

“Hey mister! You ran into me again, which means you have to tell me another story!” 

Hoyoung sighed and crouched down. “I don’t have time right now. I have to meet my friend for lunch.” 

The kid immediately started pouting before grinning again. 

They latched onto his leg and the other children followed suit. 

“We’re not letting go until you tell us a story!” The first kid said. 

“Fiiiiiiine” 

\--- 

“You get caught up with the kids again?” Farasi asked as the server gave them their food. 

“Yeah. They had friends this time.” 

Farasi raised an eyebrow at that. 

“Word travels fast huh.” 

“Yeah tell me about it.” 

“What’d you tell them this time?” 

“I may have exaggerated the time I caught the shoe thief.” 

“Well that was one of your more exciting jobs.” 

“Yeah, I guess. Still wish I could do bigger jobs and move up in the Bureau.” 

“You’ll get there. You’ve been improving a lot and it won’t be long before you outclass even me.” 

“You mean that?” 

“Eh. Maybe.” 

Hoyoung flicked a chunk of bread at her. 

\---

The next day, Hoyoung was once again run into by a child while returning from another job. 

“Hey you have to stop that or I might start bruising.” 

“Well how else am I gonna get you to tell me stories?” 

“I don’t know, asking nicely?” 

“But that’s not as fun!” 

“But it’s nicer! Who taught you manners anyway?” 

“My parents!” 

“And what would they say if they saw you acting like this?” 

“Apologize...” 

“If you apologize to me, then I’ll tell you a story. How’s that sound?” 

“Will you keep telling me stories?” 

“If you ask nicely.” 

“Then I’m sorry! I promise I won’t do it again!” 

Hoyoung grinned and started spinning another story for the child. 

\--- 

This became routine for Hoyoung. Sometimes the kid would be by themself, and sometimes they would bring friends. Sometimes they wouldn’t even be there at all, but he knew that they were somewhere watching. Hoyoung would prepare stories in advance to tell and even write them down so he wouldn’t forget. 

And eventually the day came where he had to leave Cheong-woon and move onto other towns to look for the monsters that were released from Taotie. He had already said his goodbyes to Farasi, Kiling, and the Handsome Monk and was trying to figure out how to tell the kids that he was leaving. 

He wasn’t sure they would understand, but he figured they would come up to him on his way back after meeting with the Handsome Monk and would pull something together. 

The kid ran up to him and pulled on his pant leg. 

“Are you really leaving?” They asked, tears already forming in their eyes. 

“Yeah. I have to go protect people in other towns now that this one is safe.” 

“I’m gonna miss you.” 

“I’ll miss you too. Tell you what though, when I stop back in town, I’ll make sure to find you and tell you all the stories of the places I visit.” 

The kid wiped away their tears before hugging him. 

“You promise?” 

“I pinky promise.” 

“That’s an extra serious promise which means you have to keep it!” 

“I know.” 

Hoyoung wrapped his arms around the kid too and very quickly he was covered in a dozen or so children who had been watching from the sidelines. 

“Can we hear one more story before you go?” 

“Of course.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading all the way through! I really had a fun time writing this and honestly Hoyoung deserves more content than he has so I am going to change that so help me god. Follow me on tumblr @oceanaromantic if you want to see more like this or to come and talk! And as always, remember to leave kudos and comments on your favorite fics, especially now. Those are more important than you think when it comes to motivation to write.


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